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New Homes in the Tampa Bay Area - Domain HomesWed, 20 Mar 2019 14:52:57 +0000en-UShourly1https://www.domainhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cropped-dh-favicon-400-32x32.pngDomain Homeshttps://www.domainhomes.com
3232The History of Seminole Heights, Tampa: Why It’s a Great Neighborhoodhttps://www.domainhomes.com/history-of-seminole-heights-tampa/
https://www.domainhomes.com/history-of-seminole-heights-tampa/#respondMon, 04 Feb 2019 09:00:06 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=6038The history of Seminole Heights, Tampa is a rich and interesting one–a history you’d expect from a now growing and

]]>The history of Seminole Heights, Tampa is a rich and interesting one–a history you’d expect from a now growing and thriving locale.

On a typical Friday night, it’s hard to deny that for a lot of residents of the Tampa Bay area, Seminole Heights is the place to be.

The restaurants, bars, and nightclubs scattered across Seminole Heights have helped make this neighborhood a happening place – truly the “It” spot in Tampa, where the new establishments lining N Florida and N Nebraska avenues have become a magnet for local residents and out-of-towners alike to congregate and enjoy what the city has to offer.

What do those patrons have in common?

You’ve got beer and wine enthusiasts mixing with foodies, artists, and musicians eager to check out the burgeoning restaurant and bar scene.

And not surprisingly, new commercial establishments keep setting up shop here, adding to the neighborhood’s appeal.

Seminole Heights is one of Tampa’s oldest established neighborhoods, with some of Tampa’s most historic buildings. It also has the distinction of being one of the earliest areas to get serviced by streetcar. The history of Seminole Heights, Tampa can be seen in the architecture and construction of the historic buildings.

Over the years, neighborhoods constantly change, in ways large and small. The good news for Seminole Heights is that the biggest change in recent years has been a genuine resurgence. This resurgence is in the form of new gourmet restaurants, brewpubs and eclectic businesses, which have helped make Seminole Heights one of the most up-and-coming parts of Tampa Bay.

And that’s true not just for area residents looking for a fun place to hang out after work, but also for new homeowners.

What’s the History of Seminole Heights, Tampa?

Seminole Heights dates back to 1911, when developer T. Roy Young built Tampa’s first community three miles north of downtown and called it Seminole Heights.

The area became home to a series of bungalow homes, and because the neighborhood dates back to the turn of the century, it has some of Tampa’s most historic buildings, including the Seminole Heights Methodist Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and Hillsborough High School.

It was one of the earliest residential neighborhoods to get connected by streetcar, where a trolley line let Seminole Heights residents commute into downtown.

The annual Seminole Heights Home Tour showcases the area’s history, with visits to some of the bungalows and old-fashioned Cracker-style homes here.

And in a sign of the direction this neighborhood has taken in recent years, one of the most historic structures is a Victorian house with a wraparound porch.

Today it’s not residential, but the home to Front Porch Grill & Bart’s Tavern, a popular casual dining spot with an outside bar featuring patio tables and a stage setup. Front Porch Grill says a lot about how Seminole heights has changed in recent years.

If you’re looking for it, it’s all there. There’s a trendy bar scene with handmade cocktails and craft brews – and a bohemian appeal ideal for the rising number of artists, musicians and other creative types moving here.

These establishments are definitely helping to attract young professionals and their families who are looking for just the kind of hip urban vibe that a neighborhood like this one offers.

The Seminole Heights renaissance has brought with it rising property values and a fast-growing number of new dining establishments and new businesses.

What Attracts Residents to Seminole Heights Today?

In the past 20 years, the reputation of Seminole Heights has only gotten better. In 2003, Southeast Seminole Heights was named Best Neighborhood in America by Neighborhoods USA, a national, non-profit organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations.

Then in July 2009, This Old House magazine ranked Seminole Heights among the Top 10 best places to buy a home, noting that the neighborhood should be particularly appealing to families, people with a love for gardening, and those who enjoy taking a stroll.

The magazine could have added that hipsters have good reason to live here, too.

In recent years, Seminole Heights has attracted people moving back into the city from the suburbs, eliminating their commute time into downtown, while offering the benefit of being close to the amenities that city life provides.

Local Establishments in Seminole Heights

In Seminole Heights, N Florida Avenue has become a real neighborhood hangout, attracting businesses that are highly ambitious when it comes to providing real culinary delights.

Once empty buildings have been filled by popular drinking establishments like The Independent – a pioneer in the craft beer movement in Tampa, with 14 taps that rotate daily and more than 150 bottles to choose from; and Mermaid Tavern– a Seminole Heights craft beer bar, wine bar, and gastropub.

These restaurants have helped cement the neighborhood’s fine reputation as the place to be.

Enjoying a relaxing drink after work is fun, and so is enjoying meals at local restaurants like The Refinery and Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café. Ella’s, for example, offers live music and folk-art along with food and drinks.

A lot of the establishments in Seminole Heights strive to be as unique as possible.

Add to that specialty shops like Sherry’s Yesterdaze with its vintage clothing, accessories, and jewelry; or the Second Sunday Morning Market that attracts more than 100 vendors to Hillsborough High School’s front lawn–you can see why Seminole Heights has a strong reputation as a fun and charming neighborhood to reside in.

History of Seminole Heights, Tampa

The growing appeal of Seminole Heights and it’s enjoyable restaurants and hipster scene attracts a lot of patrons, but it’s also become a popular place to live. That’s why home builders like Domain Homes are constructing new houses here, knowing that it remains one of Tampa’s most popular neighborhoods.

Domain Homes is the Tampa Bay area’s Urban Neighborhood new home builder.

Domain Homes purchases older, dilapidated homes and replaces them with new move-in-ready homes. Domain Homes believes that buyers shouldn’t have to settle for a “used” home once they’ve discovered how beautiful Tampa Bay is.

Domain Homes also builds in other established neighborhoods, including:

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/history-of-seminole-heights-tampa/feed/0Tampa Bay’s Top Restaurants: Reasons Why Tampa Bay’s Restaurant Scene is Going Through a Renaissancehttps://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-top-restaurants/
https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-top-restaurants/#respondMon, 21 Jan 2019 09:00:57 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5813In the last few years, Tampa Bay has really developed some fine restaurants. Here are some of Tampa Bay’s top

In the last few years, Tampa Bay has really developed some fine restaurants. Here are some of Tampa Bay’s top restaurants.

Anyone who lived in Tampa a good 20 or 30 years ago knows that while the beach was close by, the city’s downtown wasn’t known for a really diverse and expansive list of fine dining options.

And that’s one of the things that made the recent opening of Sparkman Wharf in the Channelside District so exciting. It’s another indication of why Tampa is becoming a genuinely recognized foodie destination.

Yelp recently compiled a ranking of the top places to eat in Tampa Bay, recognizing restaurants that offer casual and upscale meals alike. They didn’t rank three or five restaurants but the top 50. Yelp’s guide showcases that in recent years, Tampa’s restaurant scene has grown significantly.

The list covers a remarkably diverse list of food options: everything from vegetarian meals to comfort foods like pizza and burgers. And it isn’t just Yelp, either. Tampa’s restaurant scene has been profiled in articles in Bon Appetite Magazine and Food & Wine.

It’s been said that for a city to really succeed, it needs a high quality of living – things that local residents value having in their back yard.

Today, Tampa has a lot to offer residents, from a strong jobs base to a vibrant housing market, to a thriving arts and cultural scene.

Now we can add something else to the list: Tampa’s rapidly expanding restaurant scene.

Because these days, the eating in Tampa is so, so good.

Tampa Bay Top Restaurants: What’s New in Tampa’s Restaurant Scene?

There are tons of new delicious restaurants popping up in Tampa. Here are just a few that you should check out.

Sparkman Wharf

Sparkman Wharf is an exciting new addition to Tampa’s burgeoning restaurant scene. Located at 615 Channelside Drive in Tampa, it offers nine pop-up style restaurants and an outdoor Biergarten serving up more than 24 taps. On weekends, there’s live music.

The pop-up restaurants in Sparkman Wharf would appear to offer something for every imaginable taste bud.

Sparkman Wharf, which is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Mondays and Tuesdays when there are events at Amalie Arena, has quickly become a real hot spot in Tampa Bay.

Best Foodie Cities

Sparkman Wharf, though, is hardly the lone example of why Tampa Bay is getting so much recognition these days for its exciting, up-and-coming restaurant scene. WalletHub has released a list of the best cities in America for finding good food, including meals that were diverse, affordable and of high quality.

Tampa came in at No. 11, just missing a spot in the Top 10 Best Foodie Cities in America. But it’s also worth noting that Tampa beat out cities like Chicago and Philadelphia for a top spot.

And the truth is that while Tampa has a very diverse and dynamic restaurant scene today, the city has always been known in some way for its food.

What Kind of Food Was Tampa Traditionally Known For?

For a long time, Tampa was really known for its ethnic food scene, one that combined Spanish, Latin and Caribbean cuisines. The city has a long and well-deserved reputation for serving Cuban food, including being home to the famed Cuban sandwich, thanks to the city’s historic Ybor City neighborhood and its many cigar factories.

In the minds of some people, you can’t visit Tampa and not eat Cuban food, which is why restaurants like West Tampa Sandwich Shop & Restaurant, with its menu of crispy empanadas filled with cream cheese and guava paste, Cuban espresso and the Cuban sandwich are so popular.

Cuban cuisine mixing Latin and Spanish cooking with Caribbean flavors really helped put Tampa on the map as a place to seek out excellent ethnic food.

But it’s not the only thing that helped build Tampa’s culinary reputation. A real legend in the city is Bern’s Steak House, which has been popular for decades.

Bern’s has an upstairs dessert room and private booths, along with a massive wine cellar and an equally huge wine list. Then there’s the menu of steaks, their signature house French onion soup au gratin with garlic and spelt toasts, and Caesar salad prepared tableside by your waiter.

Still, there’s no question that Tampa’s food scene has undergone a genuine renaissance in recent years. The newest restaurants don’t seem interested in offering what’s easy to find elsewhere, but something unique. Head over to the Seminole Heights neighborhood, for example, and check out Ichicoro Ramen, which serves ramen bowls.

No wonder Thrillist, an online media website covering food and drink, featured Tampa on its roundup of the 15 cities that secretly have great food scenes.

Why Is This Important?

Study after study demonstrates that in addition to a healthy business climate and jobs base, cities need something else: a “Cultural capital,” if you will. Cultural attributes play as strong a role in a city’s appeal as economic factors. Tampa’s exciting restaurant scene helps to make Tampa even more appealing.

It’s no wonder Tampa Bay has a growing reputation as a great city to live, and the city’s dynamic restaurants only add to that appeal. And as more and more people relocate to the Tampa/St. Pete area, the housing market will continue to need new homes to accommodate them.

Domain Homes purchases older, dilapidated homes that are often badly in need of repair and replaces them with move in-ready new homes.

Domain Homes believes that buyers shouldn’t have to settle for a “used” home once they’ve discovered how beautiful Tampa Bay is.

And right now, Domain Homes is building new homes in these neighborhoods, which could include your dream home in an ideal location. Contact Domain Homes today at 813-580-8111 to learn about the homes we have available there.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-top-restaurants/feed/0Tampa International Airport Expansion Project: Tampa, a City on the Movehttps://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-international-airport-expansion-project/
https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-international-airport-expansion-project/#respondMon, 07 Jan 2019 09:00:19 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5806The Tampa International Airport expansion project is well underway and is a good indicator that the Tampa Bay economy and

The Tampa International Airport expansion project is well underway and is a good indicator that the Tampa Bay economy and housing market are growing.

As the gateway to the city of Tampa, Tampa International Airport is the first thing travelers see when they arrive. As Tampa Bay continues to grow and expand, the airport is doing the same.

The airport just completed the first phase of a $2 billion expansion project, and the second phase starts in January with work on SkyCenter, a 35-acre, $66 million project that will create a multi-story atrium. Additional plans call for the 9-story SkyCenter to include a hotel, stores, restaurants and offices.

Tampa’s growth has come at the same time as the number of visitors arriving in Tampa Bay has increased exponentially; this expansion at the airport is needed to handle the increased number of passengers.

In fact, the Tampa International Airport expansion project is designed to help the airport handle a major influx of new passengers. It’s estimated that within the next five years the airport will see 24 million travelers a year – up from 19.6 million in 2017. That’s a very encouraging increase in travelers that shows a city on the move.

What’s Happening at Tampa International Airport?

Not all the expansion projects at the airport are geared towards passengers flying in for a vacation. Because of the growth of Amazon and online shopping, Tampa International Airport’s cargo business is booming and has nearly doubled in August compared to the same time a year ago. The airport handled nearly 36 million pounds of cargo and was second only to Cincinnati for cargo growth from 2010 to 2017.

As a result, last summer, the airport’s board of director decided to move forward with building an expansion of its cargo facilities on 70 acres east of the main terminal, a project expected to cost up to $72.3 million and include space for cargo tenants like Amazon, FedEx and UPS.

This year, the Tampa International Airport expansion project plans include developing 35 acres at the airport’s new SkyCenter area, a project that reflects the stunning passenger growth at the airport in 2018. SkyCenter is designed to help the airport accommodate future growth in the coming years and provide more options to passengers and guests.

SkyCenter will be located just west of Tampa International Airport’s new rental car center and will include a 40,000-square-foot atrium and a pedestrian bridge. This project, which begins construction this month, is expected to be complete in 2020 and have a hotel, retail space and office building. There will also be express lanes added to the airport’s main terminal pick-up and drop-off areas.

Both the new cargo facility and SkyCenter reflect the reality that it isn’t just about more passengers coming to Tampa Bay. There are also a lot of companies moving to the Tampa Bay region and the city’s West Shore business district–companies with workers who travel all over the world.

Tampa definitely ended 2018 on a high note when it comes to economic growth.

In December, the Tampa area remained second in the state for job creation; the city’s unemployment rate was just 3.0 percent.

How Much Growth is Tampa Bay Experiencing?

It isn’t just the airport experiencing new development projects and expansions. Downtown Tampa has become a hub for some highly anticipated new projects, including Water Street Tampa, a $3-billion, 53-acre development near the Tampa Convention Center.

In 2019, this project is expected to see a number of new innovations, the topping out of the Tampa JW Marriott hotel, and renovations at Sparkman Wharf, Tampa’s new outdoor waterfront space.

Projects like these are expected to become major drivers of economic activity for the Tampa Bay area for years to come.

In downtown St. Petersburg, work is nearing completion on the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, a 5-story, 137,000-square-foot building that will house the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to the Arts and Crafts movement. It’s scheduled to be completed by June.

And there are plenty of other projects in the works this year, including major renovations to the Dunedin Blue Jays’ baseball stadium on Douglas Avenue and the Westshore Marina District, a 52-acre mixed-use community that’s going to become home to 70,000 square feet of retail and office space.

How is This Growth Impacting the Housing Market?

That business growth at the airport and throughout the region reflects a healthy jobs market that’s encouraging more and more people to relocate here in search of new opportunities. And once they get here, they’re looking for a home.

And 2018 was a strong year for the Tampa Bay housing market. The St Petersburg’s housing market is forecast to experience 6.3% growth in 2019. Tampa’s housing market is forecasted at 6.5% growth.

Tampa International Airport Expansion Project is Good for The Housing Market

With more and more young families moving here looking for work, they arrive needing someplace to live. It’s important that builders like Domain Homes are constructing new houses.

Domain Homes procures older, dilapidated houses in some of the city’s most appealing neighborhoods, and replaces them with brand new, move-in ready homes.

The neighborhoods that Domain Homes builds in include highly sought-after, established neighborhoods like:

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-international-airport-expansion-project/feed/0Tampa Bay New Year’s Eve: Ring in the New Year in Tampa Bayhttps://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bay-new-years-eve/
https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bay-new-years-eve/#respondMon, 17 Dec 2018 09:00:12 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5656On New Year’s Eve, thousands are expected to turn out in New York City’s Times Square to watch the ball

]]>On New Year’s Eve, thousands are expected to turn out in New York City’s Times Square to watch the ball drop at 11:59 p.m. and ring in 2019. Of course, this being New York, the temperatures are expected to drop below freezing on that night, which may be why millions more will opt to watch the ball drop live on television instead, from the comfort of their warm homes.

On the other hand, if you live in Tampa Bay, you’ve got the best of both worlds. Tampa Bay New Year’s Eve offers much to the residents of the bay area.

Tampa is increasingly developing a reputation for being a happening place on New Year’s Eve, with a host of locations hosting parties and celebrations that give people a spectacular opportunity to ring in the new year in style.

And unlike New York, people attending outdoor parties won’t need to bundle up. According to data from Weather Trends, the projected forecast for Tampa Bay on Dec. 31 will be a high of 72 and a low of 51. Compared to the Big Apple, that’s downright tropical.

Even more importantly, the Tampa Bay area will offer multiple options for welcoming in 2019 – and the reasons to celebrate extend beyond a new year starting. Tampa Bay is coming off a strong performance in 2018, becoming one of the top-performing Florida metros this year, fueled by strong population and job growth. And that’s helped to give Tampa Bay a very healthy and vibrant real estate market throughout the entire year.

So as New Year’s Eve gets closer, area residents have a lot of great reasons to be celebrating and partying over their good fortunes.

What’s Happening at Tampa Bay New Year’s Eve?

If you live in Tampa Bay or plan to be vacationing there, there’s no point in staying home or in your hotel room, slumped in front of the television set. There’s far too much going on that night for anyone to stay indoors.

With Florida’s legendary mild winters making this one of the most enjoyable states to visit around the holidays, Tampa Bay has big plans for welcoming in the new year – everything from fireworks extravaganzas to rooftop parties, fancy dinners, midnight cruises and more.

In fact, Tampa has been ranked as one of the best places in Florida to celebrate New Year’s Eve, according to a survey by WalletHub, which just released its rankings for parties on Dec. 31. Using a data set that considered everything from the legality of fireworks to average prices of New Year’s Eve party tickets to weather forecasts for December 31, the website determined that Tampa was among the Top 25 cities nationally, while ranking No. 4 in the affordability category.

And the city is doing its best to give people plenty of options for how they want to have fun.

Aloft Down Tampa has an all-inclusive event during its 5th annual NYE 2019 Premiere, where guests can watch the ball drop live from Times Square on an immense LED screen, while also enjoying a riverside laser light show. This event will also feature live performances by Aloft’s mermaids, along with a top shelf open bar and gourmet appetizers and hors d’oeuvres served by Miguelito’s Taqueria Y Tequila, and two dance floors with DJ’s.

Friends of the Riverwalk and the City of Tampa are planning for the city’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display, and there will be a New Year’s Eve Countdown Party at The Sail, the waterside patio bar offering cocktails and bites in a chill, dog-friendly atmosphere. Located right outside the Convention Center, the fun starts at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 as people are invited to “SAIL into 2018” as they ring in the new year with a complimentary midnight champagne toast, music with DJ Andy Scott, some of Tampa Bay’s best food trucks, and those spectacular waterfront views.

Also in downtown, the Florida Aquarium has a Splash In The New Year celebration starting at 9 p.m., with entertainment, complimentary food, beer and wine, and with a perfect view of the New Year’s fireworks show.

One of Tampa’s best-known tourism attractions, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, is inviting the public to ring in the new year as well; the theme park will stay open until 1 a.m.

Then there’s the Rooftop Eve at the Fort Brooke Parking Structure, starting at 9 p.m., with a party in the heart of downtown Tampa for a night of music and fun and a front-row seat to the enormous fireworks show that rings in the new year.

As if that isn’t enough fun to take advantage of, the people celebrating on New Year’s Eve can also look forward to the expectation for a very good 2019 in Tampa Bay.

Why Is 2019 Expected to be a Good Year in Tampa?

Tampa Bay ended the year in great shape, particularly when it comes to the economy and the housing market, which both performed exceedingly well in 2018. Home prices in the third quarter of 2018 continued the trend of year-over-year gains since the third quarter of 2015. According to Florida Realtors, the median price of a single-family home rose by 4.9 percent in September compared to the third quarter of 2017.

Also in the third quarter, sales of single-family homes rose 4.4 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Tampa also ranks 6th in loan applications from those ready to move.

The region’s strengths owe a lot to the healthy economy, with the unemployment rate in Tampa falling to just 2.9% – below the national average. That kind of strong job growth has made the city a magnet for newcomers, helped by the fact that Tampa has a thriving downtown that offers plenty in the way of nightlife, museums, cultural attractions and a great restaurant scene.

Realtor.com has analyzed migration trends to find the metropolitan areas gaining the most new residents. Their research indicates that when the recession was going on, Americans went to the nation’s biggest cities in search of jobs.

But in the years since, the economy started rebounding, housing costs soared so high in big cities like Los Angeles and New York that a newer trend formed: people began to relocate to more affordable destinations.

That means more people moving to the South, to cities where taxes are low and housing costs are reasonable. Realtor.com found that with good paying jobs in medical sciences and technology fields, real estate prices that are still affordable, and tropical year-round weather, a growing number of transplants are coming from the Northeast to 10 metros, including Tampa, Orlando, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Charlotte, N.C.

That city’s economic growth has brought more people to the city looking for new job opportunities, and they’ve arrived at a time when the inventory of homes on the market have been low – the same trend that other metro areas around the country have been experiencing. That’s why top home builders like Domain Homes are constructing new homes in some of Tampa Bay’s more desirable neighborhoods, giving prospective homebuyers more options as they settle into the area.

The expectation is that both Tampa’s strong economy and vibrant housing market will remain on solid footing in the new year – and that truly is a great reason to celebrate.

Conclusion

Not only should you enjoy Tampa Bay New Year’s Eve extravaganzas this year, but you should also consider moving to one of the most vibrant and growing cities in the area, with a good, durable housing market and strong economic growth; not only will you find jobs here, you’ll also find the home you’ve been looking for.

Tampa Bay has a winning combination right now: a strong economy creating new jobs, including in professional fields like healthcare and life sciences; more commercial development in downtown Tampa that’s transforming older, run down commercial sectors into brand-new, job-creating business developments; and a housing market where the housing stock is far more affordable than in other coastal metros.

No wonder the local population keeps expanding and more people keep moving here looking for work, and the opportunity to enjoy all that Tampa Bay has to offer.

Because of the influx of new home buyers, home builders like Domain Homes have been constructing new homes to meet the demand.

Domain Homes procures older houses in some of the city’s most appealing neighborhoods, replacing them with brand new, move-in ready homes.

Domain Homes constructs houses in established neighborhoods like South Tampa, West Tampa, St. Petersburg, as well as other locations in the bay area. These locations have top-rated school districts, are near downtown, and offer many jobs.

Contact Domain Homes today at 813-580-8111 to learn more about the homes we have available today in the Tampa Bay area.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bay-new-years-eve/feed/0What are Tampa Housing Market Predictions for 2019? So far, the Outlook is Positivehttps://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-housing-market-predictions-2019/
https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-housing-market-predictions-2019/#respondMon, 10 Dec 2018 09:00:06 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5651What are Tampa housing market predictions for 2019? How does the market really look? After several years, when the economy

]]>What are Tampa housing market predictions for 2019? How does the market really look?

After several years, when the economy was soaring, the unemployment rate kept falling, and the housing market got red hot, it’s certainly plausible to ask if 2019 might finally be the year that puts the brakes on all this growth. And more than a few economists have been asking that question in recent months.

But for those getting nervous that we’re in a possible housing market bubble, the consensus is that 2019 seems likely to offer … well, more of the same.

Job growth. A healthy and vibrant economy. And a strong housing market.

So the question is, why are the experts so confident that 2019 will be another good year for American workers, and a continuation of a secure housing market?

Tampa Housing Market Predictions for 2019? Where’s the Market Headed?

It’s been said that all good things must come to an end, but economists – who note that the U.S. economy is on its strongest roll ever – with the return of high employment – are not predicting a downturn in 2019. In fact, the job growth and low unemployment that Americans have enjoyed in the past few years is expected to continue once the new year begins, which in turn should continue stimulating the nation’s real estate market. When the economy is good, people opt to buy homes.

Skeptics point out that housing sales slowed down in 2018, which is true. The experts in the housing industry counter that this wasn’t because of a lack of interest among prospective buyers, but because inventory was so low – there simply weren’t enough homes on the market to meet buyer demand. As a result, home prices soared, even as sales went down.

Will anything change in 2019?

Possibly, since housing industry experts are anticipating an increase in foreign property investments in 2019, as well as an increase in new home construction, particularly compared to the past few years. Whether new construction will match buyer demand is unclear because analysts also believe that in 2019 there will continue to be supply shortages in some parts of the country.

What’s Likely to Change Next Year?

While it’s hard to conclusively say whether it will be a seller’s or buyer’s market throughout 2019, or whether home prices will start cooling down in some parts of the country, economists say they expect to see several trends in the 2019 U.S. housing market, starting with the most important: continued growth in the U.S. economy.

All of the key data on the economy – job growth, new career opportunities, high employment and rising wages – paint a positive and optimistic picture for the next six months, which should help to stimulate the real estate market.

And just as the economy helps convince prospective buyers to get into the market, analysts predict it will encourage more foreign property investors from countries like Canada, China, and Singapore to buy investment properties here, further boosting home sales.

While few predict a quick end in sight to the 2018 trends – strong demand for homes combined with low inventory in many cities – experts say new housing construction should increase, providing more options for prospective buyers.

Experts also say they expect to see more millennials driving growth in the housing market. They’re a large demographic group that’s getting older, settling down, and showing more interest in home buying. The strong economy is helping to fuel that, as more millennials settle into good-paying careers and become more comfortable with taking out mortgages.

One factor that experts are watching closely is mortgage rates, which have been rising throughout 2018, with the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage in 2017 hovering just below 4%, then climbing this year before reaching 4.57% in June, according to Freddie Mac. The Mortgage Bankers Association recently updated its long-range forecast, and now predicts that the average 30-year mortgage rates would rise above 4.9% in 2019.

But that’s not expected to significantly weaken the U.S. housing market, and in fact, the real estate website Zillow is still predicting that home prices will keep rising by 6.5 percent in 2019.

Of course, increasing home prices are likely to vary by region, and there are predictions for slowdowns in cities that have experienced the largest jump in home prices, like New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco. In those cities, prices have gotten so high that many prospective buyers, especially millennials, can’t afford the sky-high prices. With home prices pushing beyond people’s capacity to pay, Realtor.com reported that home price relief appears to be on the way for prospective homebuyers in high-price West Coast cities.

But that’s not the case in Florida and in cities like Tampa, where prices have remained much closer to the national average and are unlikely to drop.

How Is Tampa’s Housing Market Doing?

Just like in the rest of the nation, home sales in the Tampa Bay area dropped over the normally busy summer home buying season, because inventory was low. And prices rose there.

But prices have not gotten so high as to become unaffordable to most prospective buyers. According to Zillow, the median home value here is $218,000, and Tampa home values have gone up 11.2% over the past year, with the median price of homes in Tampa now at $268,000. Zillow predicts those prices will rise 8.4% in the next year.

What may change in Tampa Bay in 2019 is more homes being built. Construction started on nearly 3,000 homes in the Tampa Bay area in the third quarter of 2018, according to Metrostudy, which tracks housing starts in the bay area.

Metrostudy noted that 2,946 single-family homes came out of the ground in the third quarter, an increase of 5.1 percent from the third quarter of 2017.

That new construction is boosted by Tampa’s strong jobs growth throughout 2018, making the area a magnet for people looking for job opportunities and affordable homes.

Tampa’s unemployment rate was at a historic low of 4% in January 2018, but dropped throughout the year to 2.9% in September, lower than Florida’s unemployment rate of 3.0% and the national average of 3.7%. As Tampa has continued to create new jobs, that’s spurred more interest in the housing market. Metrostudy calculated that for every 30,000 new jobs created in Tampa Bay, 11,000 new homes start construction.

And with inventory still low, private builders like Domain Homes have been constructing new homes to meet the needs of the city’s prospective homebuyers.

In fact, economists say one of the strengths of the economy today is there isn’t a glut or oversupply of homes on the market, a situation that could cause prices to plummet if there’s an economic downturn. Instead, any slowdown in the economy seems less likely to impact the housing market since inventory remains low.

Conclusion

So are the Tampa housing market predictions for 2019 positive? The answer: yes.

This year is ending with a strong economy complementing the vibrant housing market, and growth in the United States has been strong, with GDP growth in the range 3.5%-4.00%.

Economists are quick to point out that economic expansions don’t necessarily die of old age. Even if expansion has lasted for a long time, that doesn’t mean an economic crash is right around the corner.

And with the national economy remaining healthy, now is still a very good time to get into the housing market – particularly in cities like Tampa, where prices remain affordable and homes purchased in the next few months will continue to rise in value.

Today, plenty of families are moving to Tampa Bay, attracted by the strong economy. Add to the mix great cultural amenities and the appeal is obvious.

The newcomers relocating to Tampa for that strong jobs market arrive needing someplace to live, which is why builders like Domain Homes are constructing new houses here, anticipating the strong demand.

Domain Homes procures older, dilapidated houses in some of the city’s most appealing neighborhoods, and replaces them with brand new, move-in ready homes.

The neighborhoods that Domain Homes builds in includes highly sought-after, established neighborhoods like South Tampa,West Tampa, the Heights, and St. Petersburg. These locations offer top-rated schools, are near downtown cultural amenities and shopping, and are where there are good jobs.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-housing-market-predictions-2019/feed/0Electric Scooters in Tampa: Boosting Tampa’s Quality of Life One Scooter at a Timehttps://www.domainhomes.com/electric-scooters-in-tampa-boosting-tampas-quality-of-life-one-scooter-at-a-time/
https://www.domainhomes.com/electric-scooters-in-tampa-boosting-tampas-quality-of-life-one-scooter-at-a-time/#respondWed, 05 Dec 2018 14:08:20 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5602How are electric scooters in Tampa going to boost the quality of living for the City of Tampa? By offering

]]>How are electric scooters in Tampa going to boost the quality of living for the City of Tampa? By offering easy, fuel-efficient transportation.

Booming economies in Tampa have attracted newcomers in recent years. The influx of new development and transplants means a renewed energy and enthusiasm for the region. Areas of Tampa Bay, known for being run down, are now home to mixed-use projects thanks to a city-wide commitment to new development.

While development and population trends bode well for the largest metropolitan areas in Central Florida, the region is still trying to address quality of life issues. That includes mobility — making it easier for residents to get around, to visit the new attractions and to leave their car behind.

That’s a key reason why the city of Tampa has decided to give its residents and visitors alike a new option for exploring the city, for getting around without the risk of running into heavy traffic on the highways. Starting in 2019, Tampa Bay is rolling out its latest transportation option: Electric Scooters.

Tampa’s government recently decided to invest in this new urban trend. Three electric scooter rental companies were asked to submit applications to bring this technology to the city by February 2019.

The idea is to give Tampa’s residents and visitors the ability to navigate the city’s sidewalks and multi-use paths on scooters. For a city like Tampa, which has plenty to do and lots of newcomers moving in, this seems like an investment that’s going to pay off.

Why Are Cities Investing In Electric Scooters?

Today, electric is the new fuel of choice. There’s been a lot of investment in the past decade into electricity as an innovative, domestically produced transportation fuel — one that could help launch a new generation of transportation that reduces dependence on foreign oil and becomes the tipping point for a wave of new transportation options.

Much of the impetus behind electric vehicles isn’t just to offer more options for commuters, but for environmental reasons as well. As researchers have pointed out, driving an electric vehicle emits 54% fewer carbon dioxide emissions per mile than the average new gasoline-fueled car. And electric vehicles are also far more cost-effective since EV drivers spend the equivalent of about $1.20 per gallon compared to gas-fueled autos.

This new technology is expected to soar in popularity. The sale of electric vehicles is forecast to exceed 1.2 million per year by 2025. It’s no wonder then that so many cities want in on this technology, which gives residents a cost-effective, environmentally friendly means of getting around.

Electric scooters are already popular in cities like San Francisco, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and New York. While costs can vary, it can cost as little as $1 to start riding. The system is often set up with a downloadable app, which enables riders to enter a credit card, scan the barcode on the scooter, and unlock it to begin riding.

In San Francisco, two companies are offering different kinds of scooters. One type has a removable battery, while another has a larger fixed battery that goes a range of 20 miles. The electric scooter companies frequently host community outreach events that teach customers how to safely ride and park scooters, and some even offer free helmets.

The manufacturers of electric scooters are quick to point out that they’re very portable, some weighing just 26 pounds and capable of being folded. For example, with some scooters, you can simply fold it, extend the handle, then roll it behind you as if you were moving luggage at the airport.

They often have a low recharge time of just 3.5 hours.

And they’ve become a particularly appealing option for those who not only want a fun and convenient way to get around but also like the idea of minimizing their carbon footprint and helping to reduce greenhouse emissions.

What Does The City Hope to Accomplish?

The idea of bringing grab-and-go electric scooters to Tampa is simple: let people pick up the scooters wherever they find them and ride them as far as they want to go. Once they’re done, leave the scooters where you’ve decided to stop your journey, and the next person can find it there and use it.

Electric scooters, which can generally run about 8 mph, become a pleasant way to explore the city without needing a car, parking space, or meter to feed.

With electric scooters becoming increasingly popular in other cities, Tampa has decided to ride this wave as well. Last September, the City announced it was accepting applications for a dockless motorized scooter pilot program that city leaders hoped to start by January — with scooters becoming available to the public in February. The city is asking each company to provide up to 300 scooters, with the goal of bringing in 1,800 in total.

As Florida law dictates, the scooters will only be allowed on sidewalks or multi-use paths, not in the streets or along bike paths. As with other cities, the scooters will be available to use, courtesy of an app that users can download onto their smartphone.

The scooters are going to be available south of E Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, between Armenia Avenue and N 40th Street. The city is also planning to set up 180 parking corrals throughout the service zones, with each one holding 10 scooters.

This is expected to be a year-long pilot program, during which time the city will measure the technology offered by each applicant, then select a final vendor by the end of the year to continue this as a permanent program.
And Tampa may not be alone in this experiment.

St. Petersburg Mayor, Rick Kriseman, has also expressed interest in bringing electric scooters to his city. He even sent out a message on Twitter noting that “We still have a way to go and some issue to work through in order to get these on our streets, but I remain committed to diversifying transit in the Burg.”

Worth The Investment?

In a lot of ways, the issue of offering electric scooters in Tampa is about far more than just tapping into a burgeoning trend. City leaders often view transportation as being more than just a quality of life issue. It’s also an incentive to help promote additional economic development.

Having different transit options available to city residents enhances the city’s appeal to new businesses.

That’s one reason why this new mode of public transportation will soon be available for Tampa residents and visitors; it’s one of the numerous options that the city is exploring.

Train service is another plan in the works.

The Florida Department of Transportation has been negotiating with a private firm to create a high-speed rail from Orlando to Tampa. Those train lines would be built by Brightline, a privately-run passenger-rail service now operating in South Florida. If these plans move forward, the high-speed train could be operating by 2021.

In both cases, the timing could be ideal. Tampa Bay currently has one of the fastest growing economies in the state, with the unemployment rate here at 2.9 percent in September, well below the national average. The bay area also added 49,800 jobs over the past year.

A lot of people are attracted to the city because of that job growth, but also because of the city’s nightlife, cultural attractions, historic venues, major theme parks like Busch Gardens and proximity to the beaches. There’s a lot to see, and do, and enjoy in Tampa Bay.

And people are also attracted to the city’s housing market, where homes remain more affordable than in many other large cities. According to the real estate website Zillow, the median home value in Tampa is $216,100; Tampa home values have risen 11.3% over the past year.

The median price of homes currently listed in Tampa is $309,900. That’s considerably more affordable than in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York City.

The addition of new transportation options like electric scooters is one more piece of the puzzle that Tampa officials have successfully been working towards for the past decade: to combine a thriving jobs market and a strong but affordable housing market with a high and improving quality of life.

Conclusion

Tampa Bay already has a winning combination right now of a strong economy, more commercial development in the city, and a healthy and vibrant housing market.

That’s a key reason why so many people are moving to Tampa; they are in search of new opportunities. Giving residents and visitors more transportation options, from the use of electric scooters to a high-speed train, is likely to help make Tampa Bay even more attractive as a permanent home.

The people moving to Tampa for the jobs and high quality of life are also helped by the presence of builders like Domain Homes, busy constructing new houses in Tampa.

Domain Homes procures older, dilapidated houses in some of the city’s most appealing neighborhoods, and replaces them with brand new, move-in ready homes.

The neighborhoods that Domain Homes builds in include highly sought-after, established neighborhoods like:

South Tampa

The Heights

St. Petersburg

West Tampa/North Hyde Park

These locations are close to the top-rated school districts, the downtown cultural amenities and shopping, and to jobs centers.

Contact Domain Homes today at 813-580-8111 to learn more about the homes we have available today to match your dream of homeownership in the Tampa Bay area.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/electric-scooters-in-tampa-boosting-tampas-quality-of-life-one-scooter-at-a-time/feed/0Top Reasons Why New Homes in Tampa Bay Are So Affordable Todayhttps://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-new-homes-in-tampa-bay-are-so-affordable-today/
https://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-new-homes-in-tampa-bay-are-so-affordable-today/#respondThu, 01 Nov 2018 13:15:12 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5513In a booming economy, why are new homes in Tampa Bay so affordable? The Florida lifestyle is hot right now.

]]>In a booming economy, why are new homes in Tampa Bay so affordable?

The Florida lifestyle is hot right now. The Sunshine State became one of the fastest-growing in 2018.

A lot of newcomers to Florida are in search of a relaxed atmosphere with a stable economy. Tampa Bay is now the nation’s 10th-fastest-growing metro area, adding 54,874 to its population. Why are Florida and the city of Tampa doing so well? Thank the fast-growing economy in both that’s creating plenty of new jobs.

Big population increases usually correlate to rising prices, particularly for housing. Major metropolitan cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle have plenty of newcomers. They also have soaring real estate prices.

Tampa has the newcomers, but not the big price hikes. What Tampa is offering new residents is different. They’re getting a vibrant economy that’s creating jobs. They also get home prices, including for new homes, that remain affordable.

A new study shows Tampa Bay homes are more affordable than in other parts of Florida. They’re also less expensive than in other major metro areas along the U.S. coast.

So why is Tampa both a boom town, and still an affordable one in a state that keeps growing?

How Does Tampa Rank for Affordability?

HSH.com, a mortgage information company, studied affordability in major urban areas and noted that “affordability” is becoming more challenging in top metro areas.

However, Tampa Bay is doing better than Florida’s other two major metro areas, Orlando and Miami. Someone earning the median income in Tampa can afford the median-priced home there. That includes new homes in Tampa.

A Tampa Bay buyer would need a salary of $54,627 to afford the median-priced home ($238,700). So Tampa prices are still well within the range of affordability. Tampa’s median income was $51,000 in 2016, according to income estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Economists believe wages here have gone up in the past two years, thanks to the strong economy.

Home prices in both Orlando and Miami have risen faster, compared to incomes.

Tampa’s housing market is healthier today than it was in 2006. Back then, the economy was strong, and the Tampa Bay region’s median home price peaked at $245,000.

The Great Recession that hit in 2008 hurt Florida’s housing market. The market has made a strong comeback in the past few years.

In 2006, the median income in Tampa Bay was $43,742. It was much harder then to afford the average home compared to today.

In comparison, Orlando residents today need to earn $61,000 to afford a home. The median priced house in Orlando is $269,000. That’s $10,000 more than the median income.

And in Miami, the median home price is $353,000. It requires a salary of $78,337 to buy a home there, although the median income in Miami is also $51,000.

Tampa Bay’s $238,700 median home price, including the new homes in Tampa, looks better than what you get in other cities.

Why are New Homes in Tampa Still Affordable?

A few years ago, a study by SmartAsset ranked Tampa Bay as a home seller’s “dream market.”

Tampa had four of the top 10 easiest places to sell a home in Florida being in the bay area. Few homes in the bay area were decreasing in value.

And it was a healthy housing market there, stable and affordable. That included new homes in Tampa.

The risk of losing money over the long run after investing in a home here was low.

The rankings focused on “stability, affordability, fluidity, and risk of loss.”

By 2017, the region was struggling to some extent, as was the rest of the nation, to boost home sales. But that was not due to low demand, but a shrinking inventory. Fewer and fewer homeowners were putting their homes on the market.

Still, Tampa Bay has maintained one clear advantage over other cities. There are still builders like Domain Homes constructing new homes in the area. That gives buyers the option of a brand-new home as well.

And as Tampa Bay’s median income has gone up in the past decade, the median home price is actually a tad bit lower. In other words, there has never been a better time to buy a home here.

It doesn’t hurt, either, that Tampa remains a leader in the state when it comes to creating new jobs.

Compare Tampa’s situation to other major metros, as HSH did. In San Francisco, being able to afford the city’s $1.07 million median home price requires a median salary of $213,727.

In San Diego, the median home price of $645,000 requires a median salary of $130,986.

You get the picture.

NerdWallet recently looked at the 10 metros with the highest population growth.

The study found that Tampa not only made the top 10 but also had the second-lowest house prices on the list.

In Tampa Bay, the median income fits with what the average family needs to buy the median-priced home. It’s a great deal for people looking for the ideal place to live.

The fact that Tampa has a booming economy that’s creating lots of jobs doesn’t hurt either.

Conclusion

Families have a lot of good reasons to move to Tampa. That includes the strong economy and an affordable housing market. Add to the mix great cultural amenities and the appeal is obvious.

Now Tampa has the benefit of an affordable housing market, too. That’s true of new homes in Tampa.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-new-homes-in-tampa-bay-are-so-affordable-today/feed/0The Tampa Housing Market in 2019 is Expected to be Stronghttps://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-red-hot-housing-market-2018-another-2017/
https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-red-hot-housing-market-2018-another-2017/#respondTue, 23 Oct 2018 08:20:19 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=4388When a city does exceptionally well throughout the year — as Tampa Bay’s economy and housing market has done in

]]>When a city does exceptionally well throughout the year — as Tampa Bay’s economy and housing market has done in 2018 — a big question, once the new year arrives often, is: How do you top that?

Having a great economic year often leads to a new challenge. And that’s meeting those same high expectations the next year. But one thing Tampa has in its favor is that predictions for another solid year are not based simply on lofty ambitions. A number of real estate experts think Tampa is poised for another strong market in 2019.

In a report on “Florida Housing Forecast 2019,” author Gord Collins noted that the forecast for the nation’s housing market in 2019 was “very warm” based on rosy predictions for the strength of the U.S. economy. Florida’s housing market is also projected to do very well next year.

The study also found that the Tampa/Sarasota housing market is “hot,” ranking sixth in loan applications from those ready to move, while property prices have gone up by a strong 14.7%.

The study predicted that housing prices should continue rising in Florida over the next five years.

“The housing market in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Panama City, Sarasota, Naples, Fort Launderdale, and even Boca Raton are compelling real estate investment value propositions for snowbirds and other buyers in North America,” he wrote. “Interest in buying Florida properties is persistent and given the strength of the Florida economy, and tax situation in the Sunshine State, and an aging population, we should see strong prices for many years.”

Likewise, the real estate website Zillow noted that Tampa home values have gone up 9.8% in the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise an additional 6.5% in the next year.

Tampa also ranks within the Top 30 among the nation’s Top 100 housing markets, according to Realtor.com.

Why are sites like Zillow and Realtor.com so confident about what the new year will bring to Tampa? Partly it’s due to the strength Tampa Bay demonstrated throughout 2018, in terms of both the housing market and the economy.

Let’s briefly look back at last year …

How Strong Was the Tampa Economy in 2018?

Throughout 2018, it was clear Tampa Bay’s economy had gained considerable strength. It was an economy on steroids.

Tampa’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent in August, lower than the national average of 3.9 percent or the statewide average of 3.7 percent.

In September, the office of Governor Rick Scott announced that the Tampa area added 34,600 new private-sector jobs in the past year. That was the second-highest number of jobs created among all Florida metro areas.

The Tampa Bay area demonstrated strength in several top industries, including leisure and hospitality (which created 10,300 new jobs), and education and health services (8,100 new positions created).

The Tampa area also remained first among the state metro areas for job demand in August, with 43,913 openings.

That’s a highly impressive performance, considering that the unemployment rate in Tampa had peaked in December 2009 at 11.9 percent at the height of the national recession, and today it’s 8.6 percentage points lower.

Tampa Bay also leads both Florida and the South when it came to job creation, according to a report from online job posting service ZipRecruiter.

The company’s Hiring Demand Index, based on relative monthly job growth percentage, gave Tampa Bay a score of +140. That’s double the rate of the second-place region, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

ZipRecruiter noted that Tampa Bay became a magnet for job creation in a variety of fields. That includes high tech, health care, and other top paying industries.

As a result, a lot of newcomers moved to Tampa Bay throughout this year in search of job opportunities. That’s provided a big boost to the region’s housing market. According to Zillow, the median price of homes currently listed in Tampa is now $275,000.

Overall, that’s quite an impressive performance! Can Tampa expect a repeat in 2019?

How Can We Predict Tampa’s Future Performance?

The United States Housing Report, which looks at forecasting trends from sources like the National Association of Realtors, Trulia, Freddie Mac, Zillow, Case Shiller and others, projected that the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater housing market would be the 17th best performing nationally in 2019.

Several other Florida cities, including Miami and Orlando, were also in the Top 30.

Realtor.com noted that Tampa Bay ranks higher than the national average in several categories. That includes employment growth, household growth, and low unemployment.

More importantly, Tampa Bay ranked well when it came to new-home starts.

Inventory has been one of the biggest challenges for buyers. That’s not just in Tampa and across the rest of Florida, but also nationally. There’s been a serious shortage of homes available on the market all year long.

Why Are Sales Dropping But Prices Rising?

In fact, sales dropped between June and August. That’s typically one of the hottest times of the year for home sales.

But the drop in sales wasn’t because buyers were disappearing. Instead, it was because the inventory has remained low in 2017 and 2018.

There simply were not enough homes on the market to meet the sky-high buyer demand across the country, and that was often the case in a lot of top Florida markets as well.

And even though sales dropped, prices went up, as the few homes on the market became more highly desirable to buyers.

However, the U.S. Housing Market Report 2019 sees no reason to presume housing will be on a downward trajectory next year, since the U.S. economy is projected to grow by 3-5% next year, with both employment and housing construction increasing, along with U.S. wages rising.

All of that, the report indicates, means we’ll see more Americans buying a home in 2019.

What may be different next year, the report suggests, is more people buying their first home, since in 2017 and 2018, the lack of inventory and rising prices made it particularly challenging for first-time buyers to get into the market.

In 2019, the report suggests, more Millennials will jump into the market, increasing demand for housing.

And housing stock on the market is also expected to increase as construction rises.

Overall, it’s expected to be a good year for home builders, mortgage agents, furniture makers, and anyone else who contributes to fulfilling the pent-up demand for homes across the U.S. in general and Florida in particular.

Realtor.com is also projecting that when it comes to home sales growth, cities in the South are likely to rank higher than the national average.

The South, the website noted, is drawing in residents thanks to lower real estate costs, a lower cost of living in general, strong economic growth and a more accommodating attitude toward builders.

Conclusion

No question, Tampa Bay has enjoyed a great 2018. If history is any guide, 2019 should be another winner for the city and its surrounding metro area.

For buyers, that means it makes no sense to delay your housing search in the hope that prices will magically drop. Home prices are only headed in one direction, and that’s up.

If you’re a prospective home buyer looking to buy a home in the Tampa Bay area, now is a good time to reach out directly to an established builder like Domain Homes, which is constructing homes in some of the most highly sought-after neighborhoods in the region.

Domain Homes defines itself as the city’s urban renaissance new home builder. They procure home sites in highly desirable Tampa Bay neighborhoods like South Tampa, West Tampa, North Hyde Park, the Heights, and St. Petersburg. These are areas close to highly rated school districts, cultural attractions, and shopping in downtown.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/tampa-bays-red-hot-housing-market-2018-another-2017/feed/0New Developments in Tampa: Top Reasons Why Tampa Is Boominghttps://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-tampa-is-booming-with-new-development/
https://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-tampa-is-booming-with-new-development/#respondTue, 16 Oct 2018 08:05:18 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5413New developments in Tampa are popping up. Here’s why. Across the country, there are mayors, city leaders, and top business

Across the country, there are mayors, city leaders, and top business leaders desperately looking for ways to revitalize the neighborhoods across their city and transform them into “happening” locations that draw in visitors and keep the cash registers in motion.

In Tampa, that entire concept is so old news. The newsflash today: Tampa is booming with new development.

West Tampa, South Tampa, and the downtown are attracting new, exciting projects that are certain to provide a major energy boost across the Tampa Bay area. These days, the bigger challenge for city leaders is keeping up with all the developers and businesses eager to get in the door.

Tampa is a hot commodity right now. The city’s sales sheet to new developers and businesses is likely quite short these days. Tampa’s attributes? They include:

Tampa’s booming economy;

Lots of jobs in Tampa Bay;

Affordable homes less expensive than the national average;

A downtown that’s already a smokin’ hot cultural scene.

Tampa is doing exceptionally well these days because that welcome mat put out years ago got plenty of takers in the past five years. As a result, the city’s downtown already has a solid reputation as a place that draws in huge numbers of visitors looking for a great nightlife, arts and cultural amenities, and plenty of outdoor activity as well. No wonder so many new developers want in on the action.

And that growth is accelerating, courtesy of a man making lots of news these days.

And that, along with Tampa’s strong job base and an excellent supply of homes on the market, continues to make downtown a magnet for new developers – only now they have to get in line.

Take, for example, what’s happening with the city’s old Channelside.

What’s Happening at Channelside?

Any update on Tampa’s revitalization needs to start with a man named Jeff Vinik, and his love for the city and ambitions for helping this city succeed.

Well known in Tampa Bay as the owner of the popular Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, Vinik is putting a whopping $3 billion into a makeover on the south side of downtown, the old Channelside entertainment complex. The plan is to morph it into an even more exciting place called Sparkman Wharf.

This project is part of the much larger Water Street Tampa development, a highly expansive project that covers everything from retail to residential to new commercial development.

And both Sparkman Wharf and Water Street Tampa are expected to complement downtown’s well-deserved reputation for a thriving nightlife.

Channelside Tampa is an entertainment complex located in one of the fastest growing parts of Tampa, known for its nightclubs, outside patio bars, live music, outdoor dining, and upscale restaurants. It’s the place locals have gone to so they can dine and watch cargo ships and commercial cruises enter and leave Tampa’s Port at the same time.

Located near the Florida Aquarium, Channelside has been entertaining visitors for the past 15 years.

Now, a serious makeover is on the way.

As part of Vinik’s $3 billion vision, Sparkman Wharf will offer residents and visitors alike everything from rooftop bars to craft cocktails and elegant restaurants — a top-to-bottom re-working of Channelside, with an anticipated completion date of 2020.

Sparkman Wharf will also include 180,000 square feet of office lofts, and the Fermented Reality Biergarten, which plans to offer more than 30 Florida craft beers on tap.

Also part of the lineup is The Corners Pizza, a Detroit-style pizza shop; Flock & Stock, a restaurant serving burgers, chicken sandwiches, tenders and fries; BT-in-a-Box, offering French-Vietnamese dishes; and Montados, which will serve Spanish-style tapas and Spanish wines.

The list is expected to get much, much longer. And this is why people are excited about living in Tampa, with all the activities going on there.

What Is the Water Street Tampa project?

Sparkman Wharf will be part of Water Street Tampa, which got its own boost in the spring with the groundbreaking 26-story JW Marriott hotel, marking the official start of this project’s efforts to fully transform the city’s skyline.

Once completed, Water Street Tampa will cover 50 acres from the southern tip of downtown Tampa’s waterfront to the central business district. More than 9 million square feet of commercial, hospitality, entertainment, residential, cultural and retail space will be part of it.

The JW will be the official host hotel when the city hosts the Super Bowl in 2021. By the end of this year, more than a dozen other buildings will be under construction there. Water Street Tampa is being developed by Strategic Property Partners, which is controlled by Vinik and Cascade Investment LLC.

And the vision for Water Street keeps expanding. The JW will include Tampa Bay’s tallest rooftop bar, and the Marriott Waterside and the JW will offer a combined 1,246 rooms and 175,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Are Other Sections of Tampa Booming as Well?

It’s not only the part of Tampa where some exciting projects are going on.

One of Tampa Bay’s biggest developments is being constructed in West Tampa, a 1.8 million-square-foot project called Midtown Tampa, a mixed-use facility that will include 240,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space, 750,000 square feet of office space, 400 condos or apartments and a boutique hotel offering 225 rooms. There are also plans for a pedestrian plaza. It would be one of Tampa Bay’s biggest developments.

The concept behind this project has been for a walkable district that makes this section of West Tampa both pedestrian-friendly and a hub for new business and retail.

Also in the works is the $200 million Westshore Marina District, a new master-planned community along 1.5 scenic miles of waterfront and green space in South Tampa.

Planned on 52-acres, the $400 million Westshore Marina District is a waterfront project on industrial land that’s been vacant for a while. Once completed, it will be filled with hundreds of townhouses and condominiums, restaurants and stores, and Marina Pointe, a complex with a 150-slip marina, the largest in Tampa.

The plans also call for three 16-story towers with 110 condominiums each.

What Is Embarc Collective?

There may be even more development in 2019, possibly from Tampa’s own residents. Vinik recently launched Embarc Collective, a $10 million project aimed at attracting even more businesses to Tampa Bay, by providing tech entrepreneurs with resources to help their business succeed.

The collective went live at the start of August in the city’s District 3 building, which last year hosted the Art of the Brick, a traveling collection of more than 100 Lego sculptures that Vinik brought to Tampa through his Vinik Family Foundation.

This project will offer community programming in entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, as well as resources for entrepreneurs.

That means Tampa doesn’t have to spend much time reinventing the wheel when it comes to attracting new developers and job creators. Embarc Collective is expected to help attract even savvier business-minded entrepreneurs to the city starting next year.

Talk about an impressive future.

New Developments in Tampa

Tampa truly has a lot going for it right now, with a very low unemployment rate, solid job growth, and a healthy supply of affordable homes, including brand new homes being built by developers like Domain Homes.

Different sections of the city are getting downright exciting with the new development going on there. It’s undeniable that the city’s future is looking as bright at it gets. Tampa is a family-friendly city with lots to do and a lot of great projects in the pipeline.

Studies are making it clear that families have good reasons to be moving to Tampa – and a lot of families are doing just that, lured by the strong economy and affordable housing market. Add to the mix great cultural amenities and the appeal is obvious.

They arrive needing someplace to live, which is why builders like Domain Homes are constructing new houses here, anticipating the strong demand.

Domain Homes procures older, dilapidated houses in some of the city’s most appealing neighborhoods, and replaces them with brand new, move-in ready homes.

The neighborhoods that Domain Homes builds in include highly sought-after, established neighborhoods like South Tampa, West Tampa, North Hyde Park, the Heights, and St. Petersburg. These locations are close to the top-rated school districts, the downtown cultural amenities, shopping, and to the job centers.

Contact Domain Homes today at 813-580-8111 to learn more about the homes we have available today to match your dream of homeownership in the Tampa Bay area.

]]>https://www.domainhomes.com/top-reasons-why-tampa-is-booming-with-new-development/feed/0Top Fall Fun Events in Tampa Bay this Halloween and Oktoberfest Seasonhttps://www.domainhomes.com/top-fall-fun-events-in-tampa-bay-this-halloween-and-oktoberfest-season/
https://www.domainhomes.com/top-fall-fun-events-in-tampa-bay-this-halloween-and-oktoberfest-season/#respondTue, 09 Oct 2018 08:23:39 +0000https://www.domainhomes.com/?p=5419Ah, Fall. It’s a time of year that so many of look forward to, when the weather gets cooler after

It’s a time of year that so many of look forward to, when the weather gets cooler after months of summer heat, the leaves start to change color on the trees … and a host of special events that are associated with the fall season arrive right on schedule.

Just as enjoyable: Fall in Tampa.

Fall fun in Tampa Bay is particularly appealing. The weather has started to cool down from the unrelenting 90-degree heat and the weather beckons you to come outside.

Even better, unlike quite a few northern states, there will be no need to break out the fall jackets and hats. In Tampa, it’s still t-shirt weather – only less steamy hot and humid. For a lot of northerners fleeing cold winters, fall in Tampa Bay is better known as paradise.

And then we have those special events to look forward to, the ones connected to this season – hayrides, pumpkin patches, Oktoberfest beer celebrations, and, of course, the big daddy of them all, Halloween in Tampa.

With spectacular weather to lure residents out of their air-conditioned homes and to get the visitors out of their northern houses, Tampa Bay has a lot happening in the fall. Yes, summer has come and gone.

Now, the fall gets its chance to strut its stuff. And in Tampa Bay, there’s plenty to pick from.

What’s Happening in Tampa Bay This Fall?

Come September, Tampa Bay gets fully into things we all love about fall, including Halloween scares, Fall Festivals, pumpkin patches, and Oktoberfest. Whether you live in Tampa Bay or are planning to come to visit, you’re not likely to be disappointed at spending the fall months here.

Fall is a beloved time of year when it’s truly enjoyable to go outside again here in Florida. Without further ado, here are some fun events to consider attending – in your t-shirt and shorts. And there are so many great things to do in Tampa Bay in Fall.

Oktoberfest, the world’s largest Volksfest and one held annually in Munich, Bavaria, may have started in Germany, but this festival has spread well beyond the European shores and is a highly popular beer and folk festival in cities and towns across the U.S.

Tampa has gotten in on the fun for nearly a decade and the 9th Annual Oktoberfest Tampa will be held Oct. 12-14 at the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, which gets transformed into the city’s largest waterfront beer garden, complete with live music, food, and much more.

And not surprisingly, a large variety of beers will be available, including traditional German Pils, a Wheat, the Dunkel, and multiple Oktoberfest märzens. There will also be wine, fresh-squeezed lemonade and other refreshments available, as well as Outrageous Bavarian Games that qualify you to win cool prizes.

In a similar but different vein will be Fergtoberfest, held on Oct. 13 at Ferg’s Sports Bar in St. Petersburg. This is an event that features more than 13 live local and regional bands, including headliner Applebutter Express, plus German food, Beer Olympics, a Drunk Spelling Bee, an Axe Throwing Competition, vendors, games, and raffles.

This is a variation of Oktoberfest in Tampa Bay events that also offers unlimited refills of draft beer all day long, and the event serves a good cause, raising money for the ACT St. Pete Art Conservatory for Teens.

For those who prefer wine over beer, think about heading over to the Safety Harbor Wine Festival on Main Street in Safety Harbor. Admission is free to this event celebrating its 15th anniversary, complete with wine samplings, arts & crafts sales, live entertainment and food.

You can also check out Brews by the Bay on Oct. 12. It’s the Florida Aquarium’s 10th Annual Beer and Food Festival, when the Aquarium will offer endless beers, food from local area restaurants and live entertainment, making Brews by the Bay one of Tampa Bay’s most beloved beer festivals. You also get the bonus of access to all Aquarium galleries with this event.

Beer and wine are not the only things that fall events are built around. Fall Festivals in Tampa are very popular family fare this time of year and Tampa is no exception.

The annual Hyde Park Fall Festival starts on Oct. 8 at the park at 744 S. Village Circle in Tampa, an event that serves as the kick-off to a month-long pumpkin patch in Village Circle.

What’s Happening for Halloween?

Halloween is big business in Central Florida – what better way to enjoy the spooky season than by visiting an area that still feels like a tropical paradise.

And there are certainly some spooky fun events coming up, particularly for the kids.

Safety Harbor’s Halloween Spooktacular is on Friday, Oct. 23 at Folly Farms, and features ghost hunts, pumpkin decorating, and a not-so-spooky movie – a great event for kids. This is a family-friendly Halloween event in Tampa and a free one.

Another good family event is ZooBoo at the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, a place to take the kids for a day of fright-free activities, trick or treating, and critter encounters. ZooBoo starts on Sept. 27 and continues for a month.

Check out the 7th Annual FantasmaFest, also known as the Little Monsters Promenade & Pumpkin Patch, held at Centro Ybor in Ybor City on Oct. 27. This is where kids get to enjoy face painting, choose from more than 2,000 free pumpkins to decorate, and show off their costumes by trick-or-treating down historic 7th Avenue with Ybor City merchants.

This is a free event and volunteers will be on hand to help the kids craft their special Halloween items. Be sure to stick around for the Big Monster’s Bed Race, where Ybor merchants cruise down historic 7th Avenue at breakneck speeds in handcrafted beds on wheels.

Then on Halloween day, the 13th Annual Boo Bash will be held at Bright House Field in Clearwater, another free event filled with safe community Halloween celebrations. That includes an interactive area for kids that will have games, hayrides, a costume parade on the field, and lots of candy.

Conclusion

Tampa is a great city all year-round, but if you’re coming here for the first time this fall, you’ll love the weather, the nearby beach – and all the fun things to do this fall in Tampa Bay as those great events kick into high gear. These are activities for all ages, and families will have a great time enjoying the Halloween season in Tampa Bay here.

It’s no wonder Tampa Bay has been ranked as one of the best cities for families – and a clear indication of why so many families are moving here. Are you thinking about joining them by living in Tampa Bay?

If you are, reach out today to a respected home builder like Domain Homes, which is the Tampa Bay area’s Urban Neighborhood new home builder. Domain Homes procures sites in Tampa Bay’s most highly desirable and sought-after neighborhoods. That includes St. Petersburg, as well as other established neighborhoods like South Tampa, West Tampa, North Hyde Park, and the Heights.

Domain Homes purchases older, dilapidated homes that are often badly in need of repair and replaces them with move-in-ready new homes. Domain Homes believes that buyers shouldn’t have to settle for a “used” home once they’ve discovered how beautiful St. Petersburg is.

And right now, Domain Homes is building new homes in these neighborhoods, which could include your dream home in an ideal location in St. Petersburg. Contact Domain Homes today at 813-580-8111 to learn about the homes we have available there.